Internal combustion engine



ug. 22, 1933. A. M. FISHv INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed June 14, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m i QN A l I Aug. 22, 1933. A, M F|5|| 1,923,480

INTERNAL COMBUST ION ENGINE Filed June 14, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 22, 1933 Unirse" srArEs f i 1,923,480V

PATENT @Fries INTERNAL c'oMBUsrmN'nNais-Tn lAmm Miller` Fish, Joliet, 111. Y Applicatin June 14, 19st.y serial No. 461,243 comms. l(c1, 12e- 190) r This invention relates to internal combustion engines and aims to provide an improved 'multiple-cylinder `gas motor having the advantages of both the V-type and vertical straight motors without the disadvantages of either. Increased power with reduced sizeand a lower cost oi pro-- duction areimportant objectsof the invention.

It will be best understood by description with reference to the'attached drawings illustrating one' practicable embodiment thereof in Aa `fourcylinder engine;

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front-end view transverse section; i i v Fig. 2 is a left-side view of the same in longitudinal section;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the-upper part at the point of intake-manifold connection;

Fig. 4 is a similar view at the point of exhaustmanifold connection;

`Fig'.5 is a longitudinal section of a rotary controllingvalve; Y. l

Fig. 6 is a longitudinalsection of the crankshaft; i Y A Fig. '7 is a plan view of a lever-element coordinated with said shaft ;-and

Fig. 8 is-a plan view of a block for an eightcylinder engine embodying the invention. v

It may facilitate understanding to state at the outset that the motor or engine of this invention isv operableon theilever" principle and has a single rotary valve controlling the intake and exhaust of the cylinders irrespective of the latters number. It may therefore be characterized as a combined lever1 and rotary-valve typefrnoton of the engine kin The illustrative engine of four-cycle form com- '50 the block'. Between these passages for each opposing pair of! cylinders, a spacel open to said bore from above provides for communication with the intake-manifold, while outloounding or end spaces 14 also open to said bore 4from above provide for communication with the exhaustliowable in a straight type motoro theqsarne manifold (see Figs. 3 and 4). The usualwater- `cooling jacket 15 is provided, with that portion ofthe block which lies between therows of..cylinders forming an extra large. Water space partially surrounding :the bore for the rotary valve.

Said block is bolted onto a supporting crankcasel having the usual oil-sumpor pan 16a with drain-plug 17. This caseis somewhat wider in proportion toits heightthan the ordinary crank-case fora .reason to hereinafter appear, and is advantageously formed ofV a light thinwall material reinforced by ,ribbing` or bracestrips `as `represented at 18. l It rests ofcourse in a bedbr cradle such as the frame ifoffan automobile. v Bearings 19` at opposite endsof the case V70 provide-.J'Qurnalrnent `for a crank-shaft with yaxis in the Vaforesaid plane parallel to the valve bore and rows of cylinders above. f

The crank-shaft 20 is much shorter than al- 7 5 number of cylinders and in this `instance has `a single throw 20a counterbalanced to elimnate vibration. Only twothrows` are 'requiredin an eight-cylinder engine and three in a twelve-cylinder engine and so on for each additonal vmulti-y ple-of four. The4 shaft is therefore-,subject to less torsion andV may be considerablyylighter than in ther ordinary engine, even of thevV-type ,where the throws are in number, only one-half thatof the cylinders. v-Of` course the shaft may have more than one throw, or oneforfeach cylinder may -li desired be arranged in degree relation as in the ordinary motor. In the latter case how- Y ever, the `pistons will travel separately instead of inv pairs as in this case, so lthat the rotary valve must be ported and. synchronized to' re and exhaust the cylinders accordingly. `An oil channel 21 provides for lubricating the bearings of its throw and the `latter mayv advantageously be bored for greater lightening asfshown in Fig. 9-5i 7. The forward-end of the shaft carries a timing-chain gear or sprocket 22 and isadapted for hand cranking as customary, while its rear-end carries a fly-wheel orficlutch-elernent 23 Vwith which a starter-motor maybe connected if desired. l Onto the single throw of the crank-shaft are tted the ends offpitman-rods or levers 24'- in number corresponding with the number of 'cylinders, or one for each pair of cylinders-as in the illustrative engine. yThese rods extend oppositely therefromy iin* pairs horizontally disposed withV the opposite end of ea'ch under a cylinder, or in single pieces for each pair withtheiropposite ends midway therebetween as inthis instance. Thus cause thepiston-rods swing less fromI the vertical.`

. more in the. ordinary engine.

they may be formed in unitary pairs or separately as preferred and are connected with said throw in the ordinary manner of connecting pistonrods to crank-shafts. The arrangement provides for the pistons in adjacent cylinders at opposite sides of the central plane to travel in pairs, with `two at one side moving up'as two at the other side move down. This arrangement Vis carried out in engines of additional cylinders, such as eight or twelve where only one crank-shaft throw is provided for each group or multiple of four as above indicated, except that the throws are then disposed in a relation to give overlap travel or different work moments to the several pairs of pistons and so smooth out the engines performance.

The aforesaid pitman-rods have opposite end connection with the shorter arms of bell-crank' levers 25 mounted on shafts 26 at opposite sides of the crank-case. These bell-crank levers may be separate or formed together as a unit'as shown in Eig. '7. They may be loose to rock on said shafts or keyed thereto as by casting in one piece therewith andthe latter made rockable aspreferred. Brackets'27 serve to support or journal the shafts.

To` the-longery arms of saidbell-crank levers are connected the piston-rods 28 of pistons 29 Working in the cylinders. Oil-feedv lines `(not shown) are extended through the lever connections to'lubricate thepistons and cylinder walls in the usual Way.

By this organization, thefpistons are made to operate on the crank-shaft in a horizontal plane,

- or in other` words, their driving force is applied Second-Thepston strokev may be longer since the bell-crank levers instead of the crank throws control their strokel limits. e

Third.-'-The wall-thrust is greatly reducedv be- This swing beyond vertical amounts to only five or six degrees, whereas it amounts to fifteen or Accordingly, ythere is less friction and less heat generated in the cylinder walls and. therefore less wear onv 'the latter. f

rI-7o11,1'th.-.The translation of. thrust cushions pounding action. onV the crank-shaft, since the bell-.crank levers receive the direct thrust and apply theforce horizontally at opposite sides of the crank-.shaft with a cushioning effect.

Fifthr-.The pistons work throughout approximately the full downward stroke and theexhaust needA not open before bottom center is reached,` Whereas the exhaust in the ordinary engine opens Well. before bottom center Vwith consequent waste of power.

SithreThe mechanical advantage is greater inthe lastquarter ofthe working stroke due to piston travel under conditions the reverse of. those inthe ordinary engine. In the ordinary engine the mechanicalA advantagevis greater in the first; quarterofthe working stroke` when the pressure` forceofA ignited charge is greatest. This is. due to greater travel, of: the pistonl in the rsti quarter ofl theY working. stroke than in the second. In the present instance however-the mehanical advantage islessin thefirst quarter of working Stroke than in .the second'. Sothat the.. mechanical;

ksure to maintain clearance.

advantage is less when the force is greatest and greater when the forcev is less. This tends to make the torque the same throughout the working stroke and produces a smoother operation of the engine because of the steady continuous pull instead of a hammer-like blow on the crankshaft. In an eight or twelve cylinder motor of this construction moreover, the power .impulses will be more overlapping.

The valve received by the bore (11) between the parallel rows of cylinders comprises a cylindrical body 30 fitting closely therewithin as result of a slight tapering of both correspondingly. Journal-.endsa thereof rotate in bearings 31 housed within the engine block. A spring 32 at. its, rear serves to exert an axial moving pres- A gear or sprocket 33 on its forward end imparts rotation thereto at yhalf the crank-shaft speed through the medium of a timing-chain 34 running over the aforesaid-sprocket (22) on the latter. Another gear (not shown) advantageously serves to ten- 'sion this chain and also drive a distributor and oil-pump assembly.

Said rotary valve is'formed with diammetrically opposite wall indentions or recesses 35 registrable respectively with the space 13 andthe ports 12 of oppositely related pairs of the cylinders so as Ito admitfuelcharges into the latter at the proper moment vaccording to the firing order, which is'jj f the oppositely related'pairs of cylinders so as to f5 open the latter to exhaust at the proper moments in, timing order. In Fig. 3 the valve isy shown in position at which intake of the rearmostrighthand cylinder (No.4) has just been completed and intake of the foremost left-hand cylinder (No. 1)

is about to start. InFig. 4, it is shown in position at which the rearmost right-hand cylinderiNo. 4) has just completed itsj exhaust and the foremost left-hand cylinder (No. 1) is about tovbegin exhausting. As the pistons have-very little motion at top and bottom centers vwhilethe valves speed) there is ample -time for the cylinderports to bel openedl to fueladmission before the pistons travel very far'on the intake stroke and ample time for said ports to be opened Wide to exhaust before the pistons start upward on the exhaust stroke. kThis is a very desirable feature as it avoids Waste of power from exhausting before the force of combustion is spent. v

Apheavy film o f oil is maintained between the rotary valve and its bore by means of a groove or channel 37 extending the full length of the bore in double return from rear to front at increasing depth as represented. Ajlead 3 8 from an oil, pump (notshown) opens into this groove by connection at the rear end of the cylinder-block, while the groove discharges through a nozzle or trough 39 at the forward end so` asto drain back int-o the crankcase. The discharging oil is thus advantageously utilized to lubricate theI timing-chain and gears encased within a cover-plate 40 bolted to the front end'of the cylinder-block. The aforementioned oil pump of courseadditionally serves the usual purpose of maintaining a pressure circulation of oil through the bearings and other movable parts of the engine. l

This. mode of lubricating the rotary valve pre- -vents drippage of oil'intofthe combustion chambers of the cylinders, while its location withthe rotation is continuous (at half the crank-shaftV n 'lbined fuel admission and exhaust controlling Wall of its bore expansively surroundedby cooled water at the low level of pumping into the vcylinfder bores and open to the* portsAi (12) thereof in complementof the combustion chambers'. `Openings 43 to these recesses from the top provide for l0 spark-plugs (not shown) to re the fuel charges. Acarbureter 44 carried by the head has short manifold connection with a central passage 45 therethrough openingdirectly into the aforedescribed space 13-above the rotaryvalve; with re sultant advantage that the carbureter is virtually the same distance from all cylinders. Lateral pas- I sages 46 opening from the other spaces 14 above said valve lead to an exhaust manifold 47 at the side.

The head is also formed with water cooling spaces communicating with those in the cylinder-block. Cooling water is introduced through connection 43 with the cylinder-block below the level of the rotary valve and inthis instance extending through the timing-chain and gear casing while heated water is carried off through connection 49 with the cylinder head. Circulation of the water is maintained by a water-pump 50 as represented in Fig. 2. A conventional radiator in conjunction with the usual fan is used for cooling the water by air blast. y

An improved internal combustion engine is thus provided, which in addition to the advantages already deiined has the advantages of a straight type motor in simplicity, accessibility and a vertical disposition of the cylinders without its disadvantages of poor Carburation and unequal cooling, and the advantages also of the V-type motor in freedom from torsional vibra` tion (because of its short crank-shaft), good caryburation and good cooling without the disadvantages of complexity and inaccessability. Still further, it has the advantages of the so-called Powell lever motor" with improvements over the latter, particularly in the fact that there are fewer and lighter reciprocating parts than the throw of the crank-shaft.

This engine also embodies the advantages of the rotary valve type of motor with certain improvements, particularly in the adaptation to control the intake and exhaust and also in the location and arrangement for lubrication.

Less important but nevertheless desirable advantages reside in the fact that the engine is also much more compact than the ordinary type of engine having the same number and bore of cylinders or piston displacement, being short and of less height. The employment of a crank-shaft with only one throw for four cylinders or for each group of four cylinders saves much machining and requires less tempering' for strength. The entire organization affords material saving in production costs while producing an improved power plant. Y l

Since various modifications or changes in the construction and arrangement of parts, with different combinations and sub-combinations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, it is not intended that the appended claimsshall limit the same to the specic construction shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Pat# ent of the United States is:

l. In an internal combustion engine, a comvalve for the cylinders arranged inA rows on opposite sidesof a center plane; said valve being located between and below the topendsvor combustion spaces ofthe cylindersin parallel relation thereto and to' the'crankshaft therebelow and comprising a rotatably drivensleeveless rbody of cylindrical form fitting a bore in the engine casing and having indentations or recesses infits sides alternately according to predetermined tming order opening the intake and'exhaust ports of the cylinders to common `fuel supply and exlhaust passages leading tosaid bore, and said bore Ahaving channels open to oil feed back-and-forth Vlongitudinally with backing'to` a cooling water space. f f" 2. An internal combustion engine having a combined fuel-admission and exhaust valve in the form of a rotary barrel disposed between adjacent pairs of cylinders and driven by the crankshaft; said valvey being fitted in a tapering bore having connected longitudinal channels for backand-forth feed of lubricant, and said bore and channels being backed by a cooling water space.

3. In an internal combustion engine embodying a plurality of cylinders, a rotary cylindrical valve controlling the fuel-admissionl and exhaust of each cylinder disposed in parallel relation to the crank-shaft and driven thereby; said valve being tted in a bore having lubricant channels running lengthwise thereof in a back-and-forth feed arrangement with connection for continuous lubricant supply, and said bore and channels being backed by a substantially wide water-jacket space. v

4. An internalcombustion engine, comprising a plurality of cylinders in adjacent row arrangement with a substantially wide cooling medium space between, a` combined fuel-admission and exhaust rotary cylindrical valve fitted to a tapering bore within said space at parallel relation to the crank-shaft by which thesame is driven, antic friction mountings for the valve at the ends of said bore, means tensioning the valve longitudinally in snug t to the bore, and means for a continuous Vback-and-forth feed of lubricant along the length of the bore; said bore and said feed means being backed substantially widely by said space. i

5. An internal combustionl engine having acombined fuel-admission and exhaust rotary valve of cylindrical form disposed in a bore between adjacent pairs of cylinders and driven by the crank-shaft; said bore for the valve having a plurality of channels"v for feed of lubricant to the valve periphery in opposite directions along its length, and said bore and channels being backed by a substantially wide and deep cooling-medium space. i l

6. In an internal combustion engine, a rotary cylindrical hollow valve-member `having closed ends and diametrically opposed longitudinalfindentations along the length thereof, a bore in the therebetween, a bore in the cylinder casting centrally of said space and parallel to the crankshaft, a rotary cylindrical valve member fitted into said bore and driven by said shaft, and having indentations in its sides opening intake and exhaust ports of thevseveral cylinders to common V`fuel supply and exhaust conduits according to predetermined timing order, and channels in said bore kfor feeding lubricant longitudinally thereof in opposite directions from a supply source; said bore and channels being backed substantially i widely by said Water-jacket space.

8. In an internal combustion engine, a corny bined fuel-admissiongand exhaust rotary cylindrical valve-member controlling all cylinders disposed in parallel relation thereto and driven by the crank-shaft; said valve having bearing `supportinY a bore'dof the engine casing formedV with a plurality `of interconnected channels for feeding lubricant back-and-frorth longitudinally, with said bore and channels backed by a watercooling space. f .Y Y y' 9. In an internal combustion engine, a rotary .cylindrical combined fuel-admission and exhaust .cooling-medium space. y

ALLEN MILLER FISH. 

